- nexa - server-nexa.polito.it

How the “Surveillance AI Pipeline” Literally Objectifies Human Beings
by J.C. DE MARTIN Sept. 30, 2023

Sept. 30, 2023

*How the “Surveillance AI Pipeline” Literally Objectifies Human Beings * /A preprint study covering 20,000 computer vision papers and patents over three decades shows “The Surveillance AI Pipeline,” and why the field needs more interdisciplinary studies./ Emanuel Maiberg · Sep 28, 2023 at 9:43 AM https://www.404media.co/how-the-surveillance-ai-pipeline-literally-objectif…

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Europol Sought Unlimited Data Access in Online Child Sexual Abuse Regulation
by J.C. DE MARTIN Sept. 30, 2023

Sept. 30, 2023

*Europol Sought Unlimited Data Access in Online Child Sexual Abuse Regulation * /According to minutes released under FOI, the European police agency pushed for unfiltered access to data that would be obtained under a proposed new scanning system for detecting child sexual abuse images on messaging apps, with a view, experts say, to training AI algorithms. / Apostolis Fotiadis, Luděk Stavinoha and Giacomo Zandonini Athens, Norwich, Rome BIRN September 29, 202314:56 The European police agency, Europol, has requested unfiltered access to data that would be harvested under a controversial EU proposal to scan online content for child sexual abuse images and for the AI technology behind it to be applied to other crimes too, according to minutes of a high-level meeting in mid-2022. The meeting, involving Europol Executive Director Catherine de Bolle and the European Commission’s Director-General for Migration and Home Affairs, Monique Pariat, took place in July last year, weeks after the Commission unveiled a proposed regulation that would require digital chat providers to scan client content for child sexual abuse material, or CSAM. The regulation, put forward by European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, would also create a new EU agency - the EU centre to prevent and counter child sexual abuse. It has stirred heated debate, with critics warning it risks opening the door to mass surveillance of EU citizens. [...] continua qui: https://balkaninsight.com/2023/09/29/europol-sought-unlimited-data-access-i…

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Un seminario sull'IA linguistica
by Guido Vetere Sept. 28, 2023

Sept. 28, 2023

Illustri, la presente per invitarVi ad un seminario dal titolo: "Le macchie pensano? Quando la tecnologia incontra il problema del significato" che si terrà il 6 Ottobre p.v. ore 18 presso l'Istituto Psicoanalitico per le Ricerche Sociali E.T.S. Passeggiata di Ripetta, 11, nonché anche online. Più informazioni: https://www.iprs.it/evento/intelligenza-artificiale-le-macchine-pensano/ Prenotazioni per la sessione online (gratis) https://www.eventbrite.it/e/biglietti-intelligenza-artificiale-le-macchine-… <https://www.eventbrite.it/e/biglietti-intelligenza-artificiale-le-macchine-…> Cordiali saluti, Guido Vetere

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towards a new good internet
by Giuseppe Attardi Sept. 28, 2023

Sept. 28, 2023

Dovremmo cercare di superare questa fase di “enshittification” di Internet. Secondo Cory Doctorow, dovremmo: “seize back the means of computation to get back not to the old good internet but the new good internet it could have been”. https://youtu.be/mSeBelDVrgE?si=fQ0nIcMGwCvIZQS6

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Re: [nexa] [OT] il modello di business di Wikipedia (Wikimedia)
by Giuseppe Attardi Sept. 28, 2023

Sept. 28, 2023

Sono d’accordo con Alberto, ma dirò di più. Il modello di sfruttare anche economicamente, i risultati del lavoro e dei contributi della comunità sarebbe secondo me proprio la strada da seguire per contrastare il modello del profitto aziendale. Ne ho accennato altre volte, ed è quello che chiamo modello delle Utopie Virtuali, ossia comunità che si organizzano in base a proprie regole, costituendo un bene comune, difendendolo e anche sfruttandolo a proprio beneficio. Il bene comune è gestito sotto forma di cooperativa, di cui i membri dell’Utopia sono soci, e quindi decidono sia le regole, che l’utilizzo del bene comune, la sua protezione e il suo sviluppo. Mi rifaccio agli studi della Nobel Elinor Ostrom (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elinor_Ostrom) o più anticamente alle Regole Ampezzane (https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regole_ampezzane) Nel mondo digitale i Commons potrebbero essere vari: l’insieme dei dati personali delle persone (da affidare a una Cooperativa di dati), lo spazio di discussione social, la stessa Internet (https://www.garr.it/it/documenti/1553-selected-papers-conferenza-2011-g-att… <https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi…>). Un’Utopia dovrebbe andare oltre la cooperativa, e diventare una vera comunità, di livello sovranazionale e di dimensioni globali, tali da poter fare da contraltare alla grandi multinazionali e poter competere e contrattare con esse. Le grandi dimensioni sono necessarie per poter avere voce in capitolo, dato che ohe oggi il contrasto alle multinazionali passa per le nazioni e per organismi sovranazionali che non sempre sono in grado di tenere loro testa, visti i contrasti tra gli interessi in gioco (es. Minimum Tax). Gli stati westfaliani nacquero nel’600, prendendo atto che non ci poteva mettere d’accordo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westphalian_system) e quindi lasciando che ciascuno facesse ciò che gli pareva in casa propria. Ma oggi il concetto di casa, legato alla geografia, nel mondo digitale globale non ha più molto senso e le nazioni si confrontano con organismi globali più grandi di loro, che rappresentano gli interessi trasversali del capitalismo, non più dei popoli. Ogni Utopia avrebbe i suoi fini e principii. Ad esempio, alcuni utenti potrebbero decidere di conferire i propri dati personali a una Utopia, delle cui politiche si fidano, magari con la tecnologia Solid (https://solidproject.org/about) che a sua volta negozia con le piattaforme le modalità del loro uso. Sarebbe vietato ad altri raccogliere dati sulle persone, ma dovrebbero richiederli esplicitamente alla Utopia di appartenenza. Per esempio, una Utopia potrebbe concedere i dati per usi in ambito di ricerca medica, altre non concederli in nessun caso. L’idea è solo un abbozzo e andrebbe articolata meglio, se si ritiene plausibile. Potrebbe essere una risposta anche alla domanda di Damiano Verzulli sul cosa fare: elaborare il concetto di Utopia e metterla in pratica, creandone alcune e invitando persone a partecipare. — Beppe > On 25 Sep 2023, at 07:49, <nexa-request(a)server-nexa.polito.it> <nexa-request(a)server-nexa.polito.it> wrote: > > Date: Sun, 24 Sep 2023 20:19:56 +0200 > From: Alberto Cammozzo <ac+nexa(a)zeromx.net <mailto:ac+nexa@zeromx.net>> > To: 380° <g380(a)biscuolo.net <mailto:g380@biscuolo.net>>, nexa(a)server-nexa.polito.it <mailto:nexa@server-nexa.polito.it> > Subject: Re: [nexa] [OT] il modello di business di Wikipedia > (Wikimedia) > Message-ID: <dd4fc3ef-538a-7969-61d6-a20c1d9b2d9c(a)zeromx.net <mailto:dd4fc3ef-538a-7969-61d6-a20c1d9b2d9c@zeromx.net>> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; Format="flowed" > > Caro Giovanni, > > In estrema sintesi, la definizione di surveillance capitalism non > riguarda il fatto che uno ricavi denaro dai dati raccolti /dai/ suoi > utenti, ma che venda i comportamenti (passati o futuri) /dei/ suoi utenti. > > A mia conoscenza Wikimedia non profila i propri utenti, non usa > recommendation systems per condizionarli, non adatta i contenuti a chi > ha davanti, e non mi risulta nemmeno che venda a terzi i dati dei propri > utenti, per cui il modello di business descritto dalla Zuboff come > /surveillance capitalism/ non si applica. > > Grazie per gli articoli sul modello di business di Wikimedia, > interessanti. Mi pare però che delineino un modello tradizionale di > servizio premium a pagamento. > > Un saluto, > > Alberto > > > On 9/23/23 12:38, 380° wrote: >> Buongiorno Alberto, >> >> follow the money? :-) >> >> Alberto Cammozzo via nexa<nexa(a)server-nexa.polito.it <mailto:nexa@server-nexa.polito.it>> writes: >> >> [...] >> >>> Attardi fa l'esempio di Wikipedia che è l'unica piattaforma >>> centralizzata di scala globale confrontabile con GAFAM e che non usa il >>> surveillance capitalism come modello di business. >> Io preferisco la parola capture a surveillance perché rende meglio il >> concetto (capture implica surveillance), ma è una /pignoleria/ :-) >> >> Sono imbarazzato, non capisco perché sostieni che Wikipedia, o meglio >> Wikimedia, non usa quel modello di "business", considerato - per dire >> l'ultima - che ha appena lanciato il suo "Enterprise" service con >> relativa azienda con sede nel... Delaware, ma ROTFL! >> >> Wikipedia’s Deep Ties to Big Tech >> By Michael Olenick APR 5, 2021 >> >> https://www.ineteconomics.org/perspectives/blog/wikipedias-deep-ties-to-big… >> >> --8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8--- >> >> Wikipedia’s online fundraising efforts that highlight its dependence on >> donations for its continued functioning,[*] its assurance that it is >> “super transparent with the public,” and occasional threats to run ads >> to assure Wikipedia’s financial stability. Most users probably also >> assume that Wikipedia’s content, even if sometimes mistaken or >> incomplete, is basically harmless, with occasional errors the price of >> straitened production conditions and limited staff. [...] >> >> Wikipedia Is Wealthy & Works with Big Tech >> >> Despite frequent protestations to the contrary, Wikimedia – the San >> Francisco-based parent non-profit of Wikipedia – has enormous financial >> reserves. >> >> [...] implementing a new service, Wikimedia Enterprise, a for-profit >> Delaware-based company to charge Big Tech for easier electronic access >> to Wikipedia content. >> >> Lest there be any ambiguity about who “these companies” are, they >> explain high-volume commercial reusers include “the ‘infoboxes’ .. >> shown in search engine results,” “voice-operated virtual assistants such >> as Siri and Alexa,” and “augmented information .. such as in-flight >> entertainment systems or smartphones.” For those who still don’t get it, >> the term infoboxes links to a Wikipedia article about Google’s knowledge >> panel.[1] >> >> Wikimedia argues for-profit high-volume information “reusers” (its term) >> have repeatedly asked for a dedicated service to efficiently funnel >> information away from the site and money towards it. Big Tech wants a >> contractual arrangement along with a service level agreement >> (SLA). Wikimedia argues it is unable to offer a contract or provide an >> SLA under its current legal scheme. >> >> When asked, Wikimedia representatives responded that the Big Tech >> businesses are uncomfortable supporting the non-profit through donations >> and that they’d prefer a more explicit fee-for-service arrangement.[2] >> Furthermore, the ongoing practice of embedding Wikimedia content into >> the websites and information outlets of others deprives Wikimedia of an >> ability to advertise for donations which, over the long-run, may impact >> its ability to fundraise. >> >> [...] Wikimedia Lacks Transparency >> >> [...] Google’s former charity, Google.org <http://google.org/>, shuttered the year ending >> 2018.[9] Google made two large donations to Tides Foundation, a total of >> $50,264,173 listed in their 2018 disclosure (consisting of three >> donations: $43,844,348, $844,448, and $560,055) and $76,385,901 in >> 2017. Neither matches a line-item amount Tides Foundation reported for >> the corresponding years.[10] Google also contributes money directly to >> both Wikimedia and the Wikimedia Endowment, announcing a $7.5 million >> donation at the 2019 Word Economic Forum.[11] >> >> [...] While Wikimedia donates money to Tides – to support its endowment >> and Knowledge Equity Fund (via Tides Advocacy) – Tides also donates >> money to Wikimedia. However, the Tides donations do not appear in >> Wikimedia annual reports [...] >> >> --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8--- >> (e /molto/ altro ancora nell'articolo) >> >> Il suo primo cliente /pare/ essere Google: >> >> --8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8--- >> >> It’s not exactly clear how Google’s new partnership will change the >> end-user side of things. Tim Palmer, the managing director of Google’s >> search partnerships, vaguely commented that Google looks forward to >> “deepening” its partnership with the Wikimedia Foundation through its >> Enterprise service. Lane Becker, Wikimedia Enterprise’s senior director >> of earned revenue told The Verge that the service is still in its “early >> days” and declined to comment on specific ways Google might use it. >> >> I would imagine that Google users probably won’t notice a change at all >> — maybe we’ll see Wikipedia cited more often in knowledge panels or >> perhaps Google will come up with a new way to integrate Wikipedia’s >> information into its services. Google has made donations to the >> Wikimedia Foundation in the past, but this marks the first time it’s >> signing on as an actual customer. >> >> [...] Wikimedia argues it currently subsidizes Big Tech by providing the >> labor required for the coordination of information dissemination. The >> implication is that there are resources at Wikimedia with an incremental >> cost to feed data to Big Tech. A question asking for a guesstimate about >> how many people spend how much time on this activity went unanswered, >> along with all other written questions. >> >> --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8--- >> (https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/22/23178245/google-paying-wikimedia-foundat…) >> >>> Mi pare suggerisca che abbiamo bisogno di alternative al modello di >>> business, e in questo la proposta di offrire gli stessi servizi con un >>> modello stile WP senza sorveglianza mi pare valida. >> WP come Wikipedia? Non credo proprio. >> >> WP come WordPress? :-D >> >> Scherzi a parte, ho la /vaga/ sensazione che potremmo star qui in eterno >> a giocare di inventarci nuovi modelli di business senza mai risolvere il >> problema (quale problema?) >> >> In altri termini: cambiare modello di business in un mercato NON libero >> come quello attialmente dominante (capitalismo) credo sia inutile. >> >> Trovare modelli di business alternativi in un libero mercato credo sia >> più efficace... libero per davvero però, non per finta come vogliono >> farci credere i narratori delle magnifiche e progressive sorti del >> capitalismo (in ogni sua declinazione: classico, finanziario, turbo, a >> energia eolica, corretto grappa...). >> >> Già, questo però non c'entra proprio nulla con la lista Nexa: >> perdonatemi! >> >> [...] >> >> Saluti, 380°

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Rapporto, "What Mobilises People Against Big-Tech?"
by J.C. DE MARTIN Sept. 28, 2023

Sept. 28, 2023

Carmi, E. <https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/view/creators_id/elinor=2Ecarmi.html> <http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1108-2075> & Nakou, P. <https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/view/creators_id/panagiota=2Enakou=2E2.html> (2023). /What Mobilises People Against Big-Tech?/. London, UK: City, University of London. https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/31373/ Sequenza Twitter/X con i punti principali: https://twitter.com/elinor_carmi/status/1707042781812707451?s=61&t=2JDFbkj1… jc

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Re: [nexa] La storia di Internet.
by maurizio lana Sept. 28, 2023

Sept. 28, 2023

per qualche ragione che non so il corpo del messaggio a me non risulta agevolmente leggibile Maurizio Il 28/09/23 10:32, nexa-request(a)server-nexa.polito.it ha scritto: > From: Giuseppe Attardi <attardi(a)di.unipi.it> > To: 380° <g380(a)biscuolo.net> > Cc: nexa(a)server-nexa.polito.it > Subject: Re: [nexa] La storia di Internet. > > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: > <http://server-nexa.polito.it/pipermail/nexa/attachments/20230928/4aa0d1d3/a…> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ la montagna è la prima che insegna a durare Antonia Pozzi ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Maurizio Lana Università del Piemonte Orientale Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici Piazza Roma 36 - 13100 Vercelli

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Fwd: Evento Ishiguro
by don Luca Peyron Sept. 28, 2023

Sept. 28, 2023

Buongiorno a tutti, anche io segnalo un evento milanese particolarmente interessante Un caro saluto dl _________________________ don Luca Peyron Pastorale Universitaria - Apostolato Digitale Arcidiocesi di Torino www.universitari.to.it via XX settembre 83, Torino tel. 011 5156239

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Press Release (CSA Regulation): Who benefits from the EU Commission’s mass surveillance law?
by Giacomo Tesio Sept. 27, 2023

Sept. 27, 2023

A newly-published independent investigation uncovered that parts of the European Commission, specifically the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), have been promoting industry interests in its proposed law to regulate the spread of child sexual abuse material online. The CSA Regulation negotiations have become the playground of powerful interests from tech companies, law enforcement bodies, and governments with the lead Commission directorate deciding what rights to trade off. # Whose interests are at the centre of the CSA Regulation? Today, 25 September, 6 leading news outlets published a joint investigation in which they uncovered close links between the tech industry and leading European Commission staff representatives responsible for the Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Regulation – including Home Affairs Commissioner, Ylva Johansson and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. EDRi – along with over 130 NGOs, including from the Stop Scanning Me coalition – have been voicing civil society’s and experts’ concerns about the legitimacy of the proposed measures in the CSA Regulation. The law requires that private companies monitor potentially all private communication on behalf of police,. A wide range of stakeholders, including child protection experts, survivors of CSA, police, national governments, UN officials, companies, NGOs and others have warned that the proposed measures could do more harm than good for the very children they are supposed to protect, and would have unprecedented impact of the safety and confidentiality of communications on a global scale. Yet, Johansson continued to actively push its proposal at breakneck speed and put pressure on key policymakers to land a worryingly quick decision – even if it makes the law more likely to be overturned. This investigation proves that Commissionner Johansson’s law fosters the industry’s interest. The law would benefit the interest of tech firms like Thorn, boosting the surveillance market where people’s privacy is used to make a profit. # Tech industry gets a VIP seat at the Commission’s table The investigation also highlights that contradiction that Johansson, the leading Commissioner on the CSA Regulation, has refused to meet with civil society representatives and failed to engage with tech experts – all whilst opening doors for surveillance tech companies. When close to 500 academics and scientists raised privacy concerns with the proposal, Johansson tried to delegitimise the experts’ analysis. Arda Gerkens, the Director of Europe’s oldest hotline for children and adults wanting to report abuse Offlimits, shared that none of her attempts to meet with Johansson were successful. For the investigation, she shared that “encryption is key to protecting kids as well: predators hack accounts searching for images” – a perspective missing from Johansson’s analysis of the debate. # Europol wants more surveillance, the Commission didn’t say no The EDRi network has continuously expressed concerns about the CSA Regulation undermining encryption and leaving people’s private communications open to anyone to snoop into. We have seen an increased political push by states and law enforcement for surveillance measures and backdoors to everyone’s private spaces, with the government of Spain going so far as to call to outlaw end-to-end encryption in Europe. Even though the CSA Regulation is meant to focus solely on tackling online child sexual abuse, it seems that the Commission is open to allowing mass surveillance for broader crime areas. When Europol officials suggested using the proposed EU Centre to scan for more than just CSAM, the Commission did not reject the idea. https://edri.org/our-work/press-release-csa-regulation-who-benefits-from-th…

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Cyber Crossover and Its Escalatory Risks for Europe - Saalman et al. - SIPRI
by Diego.Latella Sept. 27, 2023

Sept. 27, 2023

Appena pubblicato Cyber Crossover and Its Escalatory Risks for Europe Dr Lora Saalman, Fei Su and Larisa Saveleva Dovgal https://doi.org/10.55163/SIEP1930 Publisher: SIPRI SIPRI, Stockholm: September, 2023 DL -- Dott. Diego Latella - Senior Researcher CNR/ISTI, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy (http:www.isti.cnr.it) FM&&T Lab. (http://fmt.isti.cnr.it) CNR/GI-STS (http://gists.pi.cnr.it) https://www.isti.cnr.it/People/D.Latella - ph: +390506212982, fax: +390506212040 ===================

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